A Chinese videographer who risked his life to expose state-sponsored human rights abuses is fighting to stay in the United States, with his fate now unexpectedly tied to a controversial deportation agreement with Uganda.

Guan Heng, 38, appeared in a New York immigration court on Monday, where a judge began weighing whether to remove him from the US. But rather than a simple deportation, the court is considering sending him to East Africa under a new diplomatic arrangement that has raised eyebrows across the region.

The case highlights a growing geopolitical trend: the outsourcing of asylum processing to African nations, a move that places countries like Uganda—and potentially its neighbors—at the center of global migration disputes.

The East African Connection

Guan’s precarious situation stems from his arrest by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in August. While his legal team fights for his asylum, the US government is leveraging a recent agreement with Uganda to accept deportees from third countries.

This deal, which allows the US to send asylum seekers to Kampala if they cannot be safely returned to their home countries, marks a significant shift in American immigration policy. For Guan, it presents a terrifying limbo.

“A judge is expected to consider if Guan should instead be sent to Uganda for his asylum application, as it has agreed to accept people deported from the United States,” confirmed Chen Chuangchuang, Guan’s lawyer.

For Kenyan observers, the development signals a deepening of Western reliance on East Africa to manage migration crises. Much like the UK’s previous attempts to partner with Rwanda, the US-Uganda arrangement suggests a future where regional capitals become holding grounds for global asylum seekers.

Documenting the Forbidden

Guan’s journey to a US detention center began in China’s Xinjiang region. In a daring act of citizen journalism, he traveled to the heavily surveillance-monitored area to film alleged re-education camps targeting the Uyghur Muslim minority.

His footage provided rare, on-the-ground corroboration of rights violations that Beijing has consistently denied. Fearing retaliation, Guan fled China, eventually reaching the US, where he hoped to find permanent safety.

“If he has a chance to remain in the United States, he’ll at least be safe,” said his mother, Luo Yun, speaking to AFP. “I’m incredibly anxious and upset.”

A Mother’s Plea

The stakes could not be higher. If the US deportation to Uganda fails or is rejected, the alternative—a return to China—could be fatal. Guan’s exposure of state secrets makes him a high-value target for Chinese authorities.

“I’m really, really worried that things will be very bad for him if he is made to return,” Luo said. Her fear is that a deportation to any third country might eventually lead to extradition back to Beijing, a risk that legal analysts warn is non-zero given China’s expanding diplomatic reach in Africa.

The hearing on Monday concluded without a final ruling. A subsequent session is scheduled for January, leaving Guan—and the precedent for US-Uganda deportations—hanging in the balance.